Improved shaft-coupling



tent i @Bifida f EVERETT L. ABBOTT, OF BOSTON, MASSAOI-IUSE'ITS.v

` Letters Patent No. 86,266, dated Janna/ry 26, 1869.

IMPRovnD sw'nconpnme.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the lame.'

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Evnnnrcr L. ABBOTT, of Boston, in the county of Suiiolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ocuplings for Shafting; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the drawings hereunto annexed, in which- "Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of the coupling, and shafting which it connects;

Figure 2 is aside elevation; and

Figure 3, a crosssectional view.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing the couplings for sh afting, used for running machinery, in such a manner that they may be more easily applied, and more eiiicient for the purpose in view, than those heretofore in use, by means of the devices hereinafter described.

The coupling proper, E, shown in elevation in iig. 2, and in section infig. 1, consists 'of two pieces, usually of metal, which, when itted together, as hereafter shown, present a barrel-shaped cylinder, or one slightly tapering toward both ends. The two pieces are made to fit together in the same manner as they would if the cylinder were divided by being sawed 1ongitudinally through its axis.

The coupling or cylinder,.E, is made tapering, exteriorly, toward both its ends, to receive the rings F F, which are tted upon the coupling, when the two parts are brought together, to keep them in place, in the manner hereafter shown.

Interiorly, the coupling or cylinder, when the parts are put together, is constructed as follows:

Circular orifices extendfrom each end longitudinally, partly through the cylinder. These orices are made smaller at the ends than near the central portion of the cylinder. In other words, they taper outward.

Ihe orices are so constructed as to receive the ends of the shafting to be coupled, the ends of the shafting being turned oi, so that they shall taper for a certain distance from the ends inwardly.

The tapering sides of the orifices, and the reversed tapering of the ends of the pieces of shafting, A and B, are shown at a, b, iig. l.

A tapering slot is cut in each half of the coupling E, and upon each end of the shafting, to receive the key G.

The key Gr is made tapering, or wedge-shaped, and is so placed, that, passing vthrough the coupling E, and the slots cut in the ends of the shafting, it may, when driven in, press against the ends of the shafting. I usually keep it in place by a nut and screw, as shown at H.

The ends of the shaftingmay be placed further apart, and two keys may be used, one to press against each end of the shafting, but I prefer to use but one keynr The manner in which the devices above described are applied, is as follows:

.The pieces' of shafting being put in their bearings, the two ends are brought near each other. The two parts of the coupling are placedv upon the two pieces of shading to vbe connected, so ast-o form a complete cylinder. The tapering ends of the shafting tit into the orifices tapered reversely; the rings F F having been previously put upon the ends of the coupling, and pressed by the hand, or a gentle blow of the mallet, to their place, where they may be held by set-screws. The key G is then driven in. The key, pressing upon the ends of the shafting, drives them to their bearings. p

Itis obvious that with this arrangement, the pieces of shafting are kept tightly and firmly in their bearings by the application'of the power of two wedges that of the `key, and that of the tapering end of the shaft. Itis to the operation of these two wedges, thus combined, that the eiciency of the coupling is in a great degree due.

An important advantage of the mode of coupling herein described is, that one length of shafting may be taken out without disturbing the shafting at either v end.

With the above devices, in caseit is desired to move a pulley from one side of the coupling to the other, it is only necessary to remove the coupling, and still preserving the shaft in place, to move the pulley, as desired.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-f l. In the application of shafting for moving inachinery, the combination of a shaft, tapering from its end, with a tapering key pressing against-the end of the shaft, and passing transversely through itsub stantially as described. p i

2. The tapered ends of the shafts A and B, in combination with the coupling E, the rings F F, and the key G, substantially as described.

I E. L. ABBOTT. Witnesses:

JOHN L. HAYES, BYRON Rosn. 

